Quote: Mikey Jackson @ June 23 2010, 3:47 PM BSTUrgh, are these creative writing references?
They're screenwriting references.
And Marooned (if that is your real name) I'd suggest worrying less about nomenclature than creating a structure for your script that feels right. No one is going to test you on the difference between an inciting incident and a plot point so don't get hung up on it. By all means learn the basics of screenwriting but not at the expense of actually writing.
Quote: Gavin @ June 23 2010, 4:13 PM BSTBut Th statue in Indy introduced the rivalry between Indy and the French guy, and introduced the character. In Doctor Who we know all the characters so it's not really a fair comparison.
That's the point of a MacGuffin - it could be anything. What it is, is irrelevant - it's something the characters are striving for and thereby drives the plot forwards. If the exact nature of the thing itself turns out to be important to the plot, then it is not a MacGuffin.
For the Doctor Who episode, nobody was striving for the painting and it could not have been swapped for another random item otherwise they wouldn't have gone back to meet Van Gogh. So I don't think it was a MacGuffin - it was a very specific item that caused specific actions to take place where a different item would not have done so.
If anything, it was more like the distress call plot device. (e.g. the start of 'Alien' amongst many, many other films).
Quote: Afinkawan @ June 23 2010, 4:29 PM BST
For the Doctor Who episode, nobody was striving for the painting and it could not have been swapped for another random item otherwise they wouldn't have gone back to meet Van Gogh. So I don't think it was a MacGuffin - it was a very specific item that caused specific actions to take place where a different item would not have done so.
If anything, it was more like the distress call plot device. (e.g. the start of 'Alien' amongst many, many other films).
Yeh I suppose your right.
Isn't the inciting incident a species of plot point anyway - just the special one at the the beginning that messes up the hero's world and makes him go on to do whatever the hell it is he does?
At least, that's what my book 'Screenwriting by numbers' said when I memorised it.
Then I think all the other plot points are just the hero getting beaten up.
As David said - don't worry about the names of things too much.
I'm not worried about the names so much, just how the things work.
All in the name of fun!
Quote: Nil Putters @ June 23 2010, 3:44 PM BSTWTF is a MacGuffin?
A fart brought on by eating too much McDonalds.
Quote: sootyj @ July 4 2010, 7:37 PM BSTA fart brought on by eating too much McDonalds.
